Tone Bar Keyboards
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
Two colour coded keyboards on which to arrange the tone bars. Tone bars sound where the bells resonate, so a note stops as soon as the bar is put down, and a child can therefore work fast, comparing one bar against the next without waiting for the room to go quiet. The keyboards give both sets somewhere to be laid out in order while that comparing goes on. Tone bars sold separately. Vinyl and plastic, for ages 6 to 12.
“Education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.”
The Tone Bar Keyboard mat transforms abstract musical concepts into concrete physical experiences through whole-body movement.
- Understanding pitch relationships through physical distance between keys
- Developing musical memory through kinesthetic pattern recognition
- Building interval recognition by stepping between specific notes
- Coordinating movement with rhythm and tempo
Read More
Elementary children naturally integrate kinesthetic learning with cognitive understanding when they step from key to key, experiencing intervals and scales through their own locomotion. This piano keyboard mat addresses the developmental need for active, embodied learning that characterizes the second plane of development. The large-scale vinyl surface allows multiple children to collaborate in creating melodies, fostering the social learning essential to elementary classrooms. By walking musical patterns, children internalize pitch relationships through proprioceptive feedback - their muscles remember the distance between notes. The keyboard's visual layout provides a concrete representation of the mathematical relationships in music, connecting to elementary students' growing interest in systematic knowledge. This full-body approach to music education aligns with Montessori's observation that movement and cognition are fundamentally interconnected in human learning.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Unroll the keyboard mat on a clear floor space with at least 3 feet of clearance on all sides. Ensure the surface is clean and dry. Remove shoes for better tactile feedback and to protect the vinyl surface.
- 1
Begin with single-note exploration, having one child step on individual keys while others listen and identify pitches
Start with C major scale to establish tonal center before exploring other keys - 2
Practice intervals by stepping from one note to another, counting the keys in between
Use arm gestures to show the 'size' of intervals - small movements for seconds, larger for fifths - 3
Create simple melodies by walking familiar songs like 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'
Place visual markers on starting notes to help children remember position - 4
Form pairs for harmony exercises, with children stepping on notes simultaneously
Begin with perfect fifths and octaves before attempting more complex harmonies
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
AMI approved
To the association standard
Tone Bar Keyboards
